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Greening Minds and Gardens

At SUAD, sustainability isn't just a buzzword – it is a living practice woven tightly into our academic fabric. SUAD is nestled in the UAE's arid landscape, where water conservation and food security are national imperatives. We are proud to champion eco-citizenship through hands-on interdisciplinary initiatives - from targeted events to rigorous research, our community actively bridges environmental stewardship with academic disciplines. A shining example of these efforts is our latest venture in aeroponic agriculture initiated recently by Dr. Karine Germoni, SUAD’s Head of French Studies Department and the French as Foreign Language (FLE) Department, which has transformed our university entrance into a green laboratory that educates and inspires.

Pioneering Innovative Education at SUAD

Dr. Germoni introduced a unique education model bridging sustainable agriculture, poetry and hands-on skill development for our SUAD community, blending passion for French language, culture, and poetry with cutting-edge sustainable projects. Dr. Karine Germoni and Nathalie Bouyssy, our FLE instructor who enthusiastically joined the project, have recently launched together the "Cultivating the Emirati Garden " project, named after Voltaire's iconic line from Candide, "Il faut cultiver son jardin" (“we must cultivate our garden”). This metaphorical line has been celebrated worldwide not just as a literature masterpiece but also as philosophy of life. It urges in this context an active stewardship of one's environment, resonating deeply in the UAE's context of rapid modernisation and heritage preservation.

The project involves several components aimed at cultivating green awareness and ecocitizenship and educating our students about the future of agriculture in the UAE. The central component is the implementation of two aeroponic towers on SUAD campus by The Food Engine, an enterprise specialising in aeroponic farming.

As you enter SUAD, you can now see two aeroponic towers at the very entrance: a compact one holding 120 plants and a towering one with 260. These vertical gardens showcase lush greens and strawberries, drawing eyes and sparking conversations daily, and they symbolise how innovation can harmonise with Emirati identity. With its two aeroponic towers, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is the first University in the UAE to have implemented such a pioneering agriculture system, taken care directly by our students and our general services department.

The project also features expert talks by Dr Shamal, CEO, Innovation Oasis at Silal; Ghita Bahmad, CEO of the Food Engine and Prof. Dezhen Song, Deputy Department Chair and Professor of Robotics at Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). Additionally, our students have also visited the MBZUAI laboratory to experience latest technological advancements first-hand.

Interactive Workshops and Student Engagement

Demystifying Aeroponics

As part of this project Ghita Bahmad, CEO of The Food Engine and the firm behind the towers, recently led dynamic bilingual workshops in French and English. The workshops were delivered in February to 500 FLE students and 35 SUAD instructors, as well as to over 100 students from French high schools (Louis Massignon, Théodore Monod, Jean Mermoz) and GEMS Modern Academy (Dubai) and their 10 teachers.

Ghita demystified aeroponics: how nutrient mists nourish roots, sensors monitor pH and humidity, and LED lights mimic sunlight for optimal growth. The sessions were very interactive, with students asking many questions and envisioning applications from rooftop farms to home kits. Post-workshops, eager participants have implemented head lettuces crops in the aeroponic towers.

Aeroponic Poetry Competition and Inauguration Ceremony

The workshops culminated in the launch of an aeroponic poetry competition. Students are encouraged to craft "scientific calligrams" in French, or poetic shapes formed by words about aeroponic veggies, fusing literature with science. Prizes await winners, incentivising creativity. The deadline to submit their aeroponic calligrams is 8th April 2026, and the students are invited to email their poems to [email protected]

The winners will receive their awards on 20th April 2026, alongside the inauguration ceremony of the two aeroponic towers and the exhibition of the competitors' poems and the launch of “Green calligraphic and scientific poems” exhibition.

Practical Aeroponics - Upcoming Workshop at SUAD

Our second workshop will be held on March 5th for SUAD students and staff interested in aeroponic agriculture. This workshop will focus on the essential steps in tower cultivation: preparing healthy plants and successfully transferring them to the aeroponic system.

During this hands-on session, participants will learn to:

• Understand the basic needs of plants in an aeroponic environment and the conditions necessary for optimal initial growth.
• Prepare seedlings using the appropriate materials (rockwool, coconut fibre, nutrient solutions and pH adjustment) to obtain vigorous seedlings ready for integration into the tower.
• Correctly transfer young plants to the aeroponic towers, optimising their exposure to light, prepare the nutrient solution in the reservoir and start up the system safely (lighting, motor and pump).
• Implement good maintenance practices during the first few days after transfer to ensure good root development and successful crop establishment.

The aim of the workshop is to strengthen the autonomy and confidence of SUAD teams in the daily management of aeroponic crops, transforming the towers installed on campus into living spaces for learning, experimentation and sustainable innovation.

This transdisciplinary project is aligned with SUAD strategic objectives and the UAE's agriculture plan, anchored in the National Food Security Strategy 2051 and "Plant the Emirates" programme. It also helps to make SUAD campus greener, raise future generations of conscious citizens, nurture global ecocitizens, stimulate pedagogical innovation and build a sustainable university model.

Why Aeroponics Matter?

But what are actually aeroponics and hydroponics, and why do they matter for sustainable education? Hydroponics is soilless farming method where plants grow in nutrient-rich water solutions, delivered directly to roots via pumps or misters, bypassing traditional soil entirely. It's a subset of hydroculture that slashes water use by up to 90% compared to conventional agriculture, eliminates soil-borne diseases, and accelerates growth in controlled environments. In the UAE, where desert conditions limit arable land, hydroponics is revolutionary: plants like lettuce thrive with minimal resources, producing high yields year-round.

Aeroponics takes this further by suspending roots in air and misting them with nutrients, using even less water and space. It's highly relevant for sustainable education because it empowers students to tackle real-world challenges such as climate change and food scarcity.

Broader Impact and Ecocitizenship in Action

This initiative raises green awareness, enhances sustainable agriculture knowledge, and nurtures ecocitizenship. French Studies students exemplify this fusion: their love for literature and poetry now meets contemporary sustainable trends like urban farming. Their efforts embody Voltaire's call by cultivating not just gardens, but mindful futures.

As UAE advances its green agenda, projects like this position SUAD as a thought leader, showing how interdisciplinary education can bloom in different conditions.

Explore French Studies at SUAD

At SUAD's French Studies department, we go far beyond teaching French language and culture. We cultivate essential critical thinking, intercultural awareness, and life skills that prepare students for global citizenship. Electives like cinema analysis, creative writing, theatre, debate club, and singing spark creativity and confidence.

Sustainability weaves seamlessly into this holistic approach, as seen in our aeroponics project where language learning meets eco-action. Students analyse environmental challenges through French poetry, debate climate policies, and apply critical thinking to real-world sustainability dilemmas. Our graduates emerge not only linguistically proficient but ethically equipped ready to bridge cultures, innovate responsibly, and lead with purpose in a rapidly changing world.

Celebrating our Partners

Ghita Bahmad has over a decade of global experience in designing and leading projects that merge sustainable agriculture with advanced food technologies. As the creator of The Food Engine's aeroponic system, she has set new standards in sustainable production, reducing water use by 98% and eliminating pesticides. A frequent speaker and trainer, she shares her expertise with students, academics, and government leaders to advance knowledge in sustainable food systems and agritech innovation.

Email your poetry to [email protected] before 8th April 2026!